Reflector



July 1s, 1940. KAPLwnz navman-on originl Fiud Feb. 2o. 193s v mi 11ml INVENTOR.

. KAPlo/wrz BY c ATTORNEY.

Patented July 16, 1940 azoarsr 'armaron Mon-n xapinwuz, Brooklyn, N.

Y., assignor to Microphone Corporation oi America, Brooklyn, l N. Y., a corporation oi'New York Original application February 20, 1936, Serial No.

Divided and this application March 7, 1939, Serial No. 260,459 I 'z claims. `(ci. sis-s2) This application is a divisional application, having,` been divided out from pending application filed February 20, 1936, Serial No. 64,871 on which Patent No. 2,155,092 was issued April 18. 1939.

This invention relates to reflectors oi the type adapted to be mounted on vehicles in order to reflect light from the headlight oi afollowing vehicle back to the driver of the latter, and one object thereof is the provision of certain useful improvements in reflectors of the multiple type. Such reflectors may also be mounted on stationary supports, as, for instance,"at curves in high- Ways and at dead ends of streets. The caslngs of the reflectors may be molded, cast, or otherwise formed in the shape of letters, numerals, gures, trade-marks, designs, etc.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a reflector with means for varying .0 the distance between the lens and its mirror.

This adjustment means is necessary so as to accommodate graded groups of lenses with various focal lengths and still maintain a reector of very high optical eiiiciency. These variations are 2,-, due to physical or optical variations and are common in the manufacture of inexpensive lenses. It is further useful as the means of controlling the optical characteristics of the reector by controlling the angle of the returning rays so as 3g to meet specic optical requirements ot various.v

specilcatlons.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a reilex reflector with a multiple casing having hermetically sealed units which can be manufacturedlvery inexpensively in various shapes, forms, and of various materials.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reflector having va high degree of optical eiilciency and at the same time having its cost of manufacture reduced to a minimum. 1

The above and other objects will-be made apparent in the description below.,in which char-4 acters of reference refer to like-named parts in the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof. l

Referring brieiiy to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view ot an assembled multiple reflector.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1. y

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line3-3oi'Figure1. v

' Referring in detail to the drawingl the numeral I 0 represents the, face plate of a casing 4I provided withra peripheral ilange II.- At spacedapart positions, a number of identical tubular walls I2 project inward from the iront wall I 0, that portion of the face I0 which would come within the enclosure of each wall I2 being blanked out in the casting. or stampingnof the casing. Each wall I2 encloses a socket I3 having a round- 5 ed base I4 from which the cylindrical wall I5, of the same diameter as the base I4, extends upwardly. A peripheral shoulder I6 marks the division between the inner surface of the wall I2 and the wall I5. The entire casing, together with 10 the various features oi' the sockets I3, as above set forth, may be cast, stamped out, or otherwise formed of unitary construction.

A reflector element or mirror II having the back I8 whose concave surface is covered with a i6 suitable coating of material such as chromium plate, is provided with a cylindrical flange I9 which is adapted to ilt very snugly Within the wall I5, so that it may be forced into position at a predetermined distance from the seat I6. A glass sphere or lens 2li of any suitable color is mounted on the seat iormed by the shoulder I6. A soit rubber ring or gasket 44 is placed about the equatorial belt of the sphere 20 toserve as a water-proong packing to prevent moisture g5 from getting below the lens. After the mir-f ror Il, the lens 20,' and the gasket 44 have been mounted in the sockety I3, a plate 45, having a ,plurality of circular openings therein with each oi' these openings surrounded by an upwardly 30 and inwardly projecting frustro-conlcal lip 46, is set down against the iront face 42 of the wall I0, with each lip surrounding one of 'the lensesZiI. A peripheral ilange 43 surrounds the face 42, and this flange is then turned inward against the periphery of the plate 45, as shown at 41, to lock the plate 45 against the casing 4I. Other forms of 4lenses aside from spheres may be used with equal advantag No means for attaching the reflector on a vehicle or other support has been shown or described, as such means does not form any part oi' the present invention; obviously, any suitable means may be provided. It is also obvious that modiiications in' form and structure may be 45 made without departing from the spirit and scope oi the invention.

I claim:

1. A multiple reilector having a housing consisting of front -and rear walls, the front face of 50 said rear wall lhaving a plurality of openings therein, saidopenings having peripheral walls extending substantially perpendicular to said iront face and forming peripherally walled sockets, said peripheraliy walled sockets being integral with p .flector cups having concave mirrored bottoms mounted one in each of said sockets, said concave mirrored bottoms facing in the same direction as said front face of said rear wall, means to retain said reflector cups in said sockets, a lens mounted in each of said openings in said front wall, said lenses being larger in diameter than said openings in said front wall, the front faces of said lenses projecting through said openings, said front face of said rear wall being positioned over the back faces of said lenses, the back faces of said lenses entering said sockets and facing said concave mirrored bottoms of said reflector cups, said lenses being positioned between the inner peripheries of said openings in said front wall and the open ends of said sockets, said op'en ends of said sockets forming seats for said lenses, the outer circumferences of the back faces of said lenses being-seated on said seats, means for varying the distance between said lenses and said concave mirrored bottoms of said reiiector cups to bring said lenses and said bottoms into substantially focused relation, said front wall pressing said lenses against 4said seats, and means kfor locking said front and rear walls together and simultaneously 'locking said lenses and said reiiector cups into said sockets.

2. A multiple reflector having a housing consisting' of front and rear walls, the front face.

of said rearwall having a plurality of openings therein, said openings having peripheral walls extending substantially perpendicular to said front f-ace and forming peripherally walled sockets, said peripherally walled sockets being integral with said rear wall, said front wall hav- `ing openings therethrough, said openings being in alignment with said sckets in said rear wall, separate reflector cups having concave mirrored bottoms mounted one in each of said sockets,

said concave mirrored bottoms facing intheisame direction as said front face of said rear wall, said reflector cups being slidably retained by said peripheral walls of said sockets, a lens mounted in each of said openings in said front wall, said lenses being larger in diameter than said openings in -said front wall, the front faces of said lenses projecting through said openings, said front face of said rear wall being positioned over the back faces of said lenses, said back faces of said lenses entering said sockets and facing said concave mirrored bottoms of said reector cups, said lenses being positioned between the inner peripheries of said openings in saidfront wall and the open ends of said sockets, said open ends of said 'sockets forming seats for said lenses, the outer circumferences of the back faces of said lenses being seated on said seats, the slidable relation between said peripheral walls of said sockets and said reflector cups providing means for varying the focal distance between said lenses and said reflector cups for adjusting said lenses and said renector cups into a substantially focused relation, said front wall pressing said lenses against said. seats, and means for locking said front and rear walls together and simultaneously locking said lenses and said reector cups into said sockets. Y

3. A multiple reiiector having a housing ccnsisting of front and rear walls,

therein, said openings having peripheral walls extending substantially perpendicular to said separate reflector cups the front face of said rear wall having a plurality of openings i front face and forming peripherally walled sockets, said peripherally walled sockets being integral with said rear wall, said front wall having openings therethrough, said openings being in alignment with said sockets in said rear wall, separate reflector cups having concave mirrored bottoms mounted one in each of said sockets, said concave mirrored bottoms facing in the same direction as said front face of said rear wall, said reector cups'being slidably retained by said peripheral walls of said socketsa lens mounted in each of said openings in said front wall, said lenses being larger in diameter than said openings in said front wall, the front faces of said lenses projecting through said openings, said front face of said rear wall being positioned over the back faces of said lenses, said back faces of said lenses entering said sockets and facing said concave mirrored bottoms of said reiiector cups, said lenses being pos'tioned between the inner peripheries of said openings in said front wall and the open ends of said sockets, seats of relatively soft material, said seats surrounding the open ends of said sockets, the outer circumIerences of the back faces of said lenses being seated on said seats, the slidable relation between said peripheral walls of said sockets and said redector cups providing means for varying the focal distances between said lenses and cups for adjusting said lenses and said reflector cups into a substantially focused relation,'said front wall pressing said lenses against said seats, and means for lockingsaid front and rear walls together and simultaneously locking said lenses and said reector cups into said sockets.

4, A multiple reflector having a housing consisting of front and rear walls, the front face of said rear wall having a plurality of openings therein, said openings having peripheral walls extending substantially perpendicular to said front face and forming peripherally walled sockets, said peripherally walled sockets being integral with saidrear wal1,said front wall having openings therethrough, said openings` being in alignment with said sockets in said rear wall, having concave mirrored bottoms mounted one in each of said sockets, said concave mirrored the same direction as said front face of said rear wall, means to retain said reflector cups in said sockets, a lens mounted in each of said openings in said front wall, said 'lenses being larger -in diameter than said openings in said front wall, the front faces of said lenses projecting through said openings, said front face of said rear wall being positioned over the back faces of said lenses, said back faces of said lenses entering said sockets and facingsad concave mirrored bottoms of said reflector cups, said lenses being positioned between the inner peripheries of said openings in said front wall and the open ends of said sockets, seats of relatively soft material, said seats surrounding the open ends of said sockets, the outer circumferences of the back faces of said said reflector bottoms of said cups facing in lenses being seated on said seats, means to ade said rear wall having a plurality of openings therein, said openings having peripheral walls extending substantially perpendicular to said front face and forming peripherally walled sockets, said peripherally walled sockets being integral with said rear wall, said front wall having openings therethrough, said openings being in alignment with said sockets', separate reflector cups having concave mirrored bottoms mounted one in each of said sockets, said concave mirrored bottoms facing in the same direction as said front face of said rear wall, means to retain said reflector cups in said sockets, a lens mounted in each of said openings in said front wall, said lenses being larger in diameter than said openings in said front wall, the front faces of said lenses projecting through said openings, said front face of said rear wall being positioned over the back faces of said lenses, said back faces of said lenses entering said sockets and facing said concave mirrored bottoms of said reflector cups, said lenses being positioned between the inner peripheries of said openings in 'said vfront wall and the open ends of said sockets, said open ends of said sockets forming seats for said lenses, the outer circumferences of theback faces of said lenses being seated on said seats, means to adjust the space between said lenses and said concave mirrored bottoms of said cups to bring said lenses and bottoms into substantially focused relation, said front wall pressing saidlenses against said seats, said rear Wall having a surrounding annular rim, said front Wall nesting within said rim, said rim extending above said front wall and being peened inwardly over said front wall to engage said front wall and lock said front and rear walls together and thereby simultaneously locking said lenses and said reflector cups in said sockets.

6. A multiple reflector having a housing consisting of front and rear walls, the front face of said rear wall having a plurality of openings therein, said openings having peripheral walls extending substantially perpendicular to said front face and forming peripherally walled sockets, said peripherally walled sockets being integral with said rear wall, said front wall having openings therethrough, said openings being in alignment with said sockets, separate reflector cups havng concave mirrored bottoms mounted one :ln each of said sockets, said concave miri rored bottoms facing in the same direction as said front face of said rear wall, said reflector cups being slidably retained by said peripheral walls of said sockets, eachloi' said openings of said front wall having an upwardly and inwardly projecting frustro-conical lip surrounding the same, a lens mounted in each of said openings, through the back face of said front wall, said lenses being larger in diameter than said openings in said front wall, the front faces of said lenses pro- `iecting through said openings, said front face of said rear wall being positioned over the back faces of said lenses, said back faces of said lenses entering said sockets and facing said concave mirrored bottoms of said reflector cups, said lenses being positioned between the inner peripheries of said openings in said front wall and the open ends of said sockets, said open ends of said sockets forming seats for said lenses, the outer circumferences of the back faces, of said lenses being seated on said seats, the slidable relation between said peripheral walls of said sockets and said reflector cups providing means for varying the focal distance between said lenses and said reflector cups for adjusting said lenses and said reflector cups Ainto a substantially focused relation, said front wall pressing said lenses against said seats, and means for locking said front wall and rear wall together, and simultaneously locking said lenses and said reflector cups into said sockets.

7. A multiple reflector having a housing consisting of front and rear walls, the front face of said rear wall having a plurality of openings therein, said openings having peripheral walls extending substantially perpendicular to said front face and forming peripherally walled sockets, said peripherally walled sockets being integral with said rear wall, said front wall having openings therethrough, 'said openings being in alignment with said sockets, an auto-collimating catadioptric, reflecting unit mounted in each of said peripherally Walled sockets, the front faces of said units projecting from said sockets through said front face of said rearwall, said peripherally walled sockets forming retaining casings for said units, said front wall being placed over said units projecting from said rear Wall, said units projecting through said openings. in said front wall, said units being larger in diameter than said openings in said front wall,

said front wall pressing said units into saic sockets, said rear wall having a surrounding an- MORRIS KAPLOWI'IZ. 

